Reporter Wang Wei reports On June 6, Shenzhen New Pengcheng's new Scottish head coach Robbie Neilson conducted his first official training session since his appointment, signaling the start of the team's preparations for the second half of the CSL season. Sources indicate that the club plans only minor tweaks to the roster during this summer's secondary transfer window, following the new coach's input rather than a major overhaul.

First Training Begins, Assessing the Players

On June 5, Shenzhen New Pengcheng officially announced that 45-year-old Robbie Neilson has been appointed as the head coach of the first team, tasked with leading the squad through the remainder of this season's CSL and cup competitions. As one of the few Scottish head coaches in the CSL, Neilson boasts a comprehensive coaching resume and experience in league promotion.

Before officially taking charge, Neilson had already arrived in Shenzhen and immersed himself in the team environment. He climbed the Shenzhen Ping An Financial Center to overlook the city, visited the Shenzhen Sports Center Stadium to experience the home atmosphere and familiarize himself with the pitch conditions, quickly gaining an understanding of his new city and home ground to lay the foundation for his coaching role. During the first training session on the 6th, Neilson oversaw every detail, maintaining rigorous standards and providing guidance on technical aspects, offensive and defensive positioning, and physical tempo, placing the team into a high-standard preparation mode.

During his playing career, Neilson had a solid background, spending many years at Scottish powerhouse Hearts and representing Scotland at various youth levels, demonstrating strong professional fundamentals. After transitioning to coaching, he started with Hearts' youth teams and gradually rose to become the first-team head coach, earning a reputation as a "promotion specialist" in Scottish football. In 2014, Neilson took charge of Hearts' first team, leading them to win the Scottish Championship and secure promotion to the top flight. He then guided the team to a third-place finish in the Scottish Premiership and qualification for the Europa League, showcasing his ability to build teams and improve results.

In 2018, Neilson took over Scottish veteran club Dundee United, continuing his stable coaching performance and leading them to the Scottish Championship title in the 2019/20 season, achieving promotion. In 2020, he returned to Hearts for a second stint, once again guiding them to promotion, reaching the Scottish Cup final, and securing consecutive UEFA Europa Conference League qualifications. In 2025, Neilson joined the coaching staff of Lommel SK in Belgium, part of the City Football Group, helping the club gain promotion to the Belgian Pro League in May of the same year. This experience gave him deep insight into the development philosophy, youth academy system, and operational standards of the City Football Group, accumulating international team-building expertise that aligns closely with Shenzhen New Pengcheng's development vision.

Facing his new coaching chapter in the CSL, Neilson is full of anticipation. He expressed his honor in joining Shenzhen New Pengcheng and thanked the club for their trust. "This is a club with a clear development plan and great potential. I am very excited to embark on this new journey," he said. He also stated that he will help every player grow and improve, fostering an aggressive, high-intensity, and highly competitive playing style for the team, striving to achieve the season's goals and repay the support of fans and the club.

Shenzhen New Pengcheng's preparations are progressing in an orderly manner, with the team regrouping on June 6. During the upcoming training camp, Neilson will use daily drills and intra-squad matches to thoroughly assess each player's fitness, technical attributes, and positional suitability, gradually embedding his tactical philosophy and building a tailored defensive and offensive system along with an optimal rotation framework.

Mid-Season Adjustments Focus on Defense

With some time still before the CSL's secondary transfer window opens, sources reveal that all adjustments regarding domestic and foreign players at Shenzhen New Pengcheng will only be decided after the new coach completes his initial evaluation of the squad. Considering the existing roster structure and overall performance, the club may adopt a principle of "minor tweaks" during the second transfer window, aiming to unlock the potential of the current lineup and stabilize the team's overall framework.

Based on the first half of the CSL season and player performances, it is clear that Shenzhen New Pengcheng needs to strengthen their defensive solidity, particularly after the injury of foreign center-back Benkovic, which exposed clear defensive weaknesses. Therefore, reinforcing the defensive line will be a priority during the second transfer window. Additionally, finding ways to activate Zhou Dingyang and better utilize his abilities will be a key task for the new coach.

At the start of this season, Shenzhen New Pengcheng underwent a large-scale squad overhaul, bringing in 15 new signings and achieving a more reasonable age structure. Club Sporting Director Daniel admitted that changing the head coach mid-season was a difficult decision made after a comprehensive review and careful assessment of the first half. "The team currently needs fresh tactical ideas and competitive momentum to further refine the existing squad's technical and tactical system, shaping a stable and strong playing style," he said.

With the new coach now in place, the upcoming training camp will focus on steadily integrating the team and polishing tactical details. On June 19, Shenzhen New Pengcheng will face Shenzhen Youth in the FA Cup, marking Neilson's debut as head coach in the form of a city derby—coincidentally falling on his birthday. Both for Neilson and the club, this will be a match of special significance.